


The Language of Love

by makingitwork



Series: Chase/House [20]
Category: House M.D.
Genre: Becuse hurt Chase is awesome, CPR, Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation, Confessions, Gay, Happy Ending, M/M, Near Death, Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-13
Updated: 2014-07-13
Packaged: 2018-02-08 16:37:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,041
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1948350
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/makingitwork/pseuds/makingitwork
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Chase nearly dies, so House does the only logical thing. </p><p>Breaks his rib.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Language of Love

**Author's Note:**

> Prompted by Roxy Smith, the genius :)  
> x

It happened like a flash.

The other surfer came out of nowhere, knocked Chase right off his board as an unholy wave crashed down. He was forced under the waves, the strap around his ankle tangling, panicking him. For a second he was out of the water, heaving in breaths under the Australian sun, but then his surf board got dragged, and another wave plunged him down, an everything faded into a blurry nothingness, and he didn't even have time to utter a prayer.

What seems like hours later, he hears voices.

The ground is soft and he sinks into slightly, trying to understand the grains on his back and on his legs, for a moment, he knows it's sand, but in the next moment, it's gone. It's gone. "He's gone," someone whispers, it sounds distinctly feminine but he can't recognise it. "I'm so sorry Sir, you have to stop, he's gone."

Gone. Chase wonders who's gone where. 

"He's not gone." Someone else snaps this voice is much more recognisable, but at the same time, he's never heard it before. It's the voice of a man, and he knows this man, he loves this man, but he's never heard this tone...the voice sounds...caught with emotions. He sounds angry...he sounds sad. He sounds vicious, and he sounds...helpless. Chase wishes there was something he could do. And then there's a horrible cracking sound from somewhere, and it's then he realises, it came from him- his rib! Someone just broke his rib!

Wait- why would someone break his rib?

He lets out a cry of pain, and he opens his eyes, coughing violently, and then retching on the sand- sand! He's on a beach! The sun hurts his eyes and he tries to shield them as sea water dribbles down his chin. It leaves a horrible, salty taste in his mouth, and he leans over to be sick again. His vision is blotchy, but he's coming around, and he wipes his mouth with the back of his hand, blinking rapidly. House is knelt beside him, and Jesus, that position must hurt his leg. "House," he whispers, "Are you alright? Your leg-"

"Me?" House yells, and Chase's eyes widen as House shoves his shoulder, it sends a spiralling pain shooting down the Australian's body, his rib is throbbing. "Am I alright? Chase! You were dead for 2 minutes! Dead, no heart beat-"

Chase whimpers in pain, clutching his stomach.

"I knew it," the woman beside him hisses, and Chase looks up at her, he doesn't recognise her, she's a pretty stranger on the beach "You broke his rib!"

"What?" House looks at Chase again, and realises she's right, and the anger is gone again "Shit- Chase, I'm sorry-"

"Dude, I'm so sorry," comes another voice, and Chase wants to cover his ears, they're all being too loud. He focuses on this new guy, he's soaking wet like him. "I couldn't control my board man," his voice is shaky "I thought I'd killed you, I didn't mean to hit you! I'm so sorry-"

"You did kill him." House hisses "For 2 minutes." He wraps a towel around Chase and the younger one closes his eyes

"I'm so tired," he whispers, tilting his head as more water trickles out of his mouth. 

Everything goes black again.

...  
...  
...

When Chase wakes up, he pretends he doesn't.

Because he's warm and dry and safe in a hospital room, so he keeps his eyes shut, because in the soothing silence, House seems to be in the middle of confessing his love. And that's too good to pass up. 

"-you stupid idiot!" House groans, shaking his head, rubbing his face "I'm never letting you go surfing again. In fact, I'm never letting you do anything again without me ever! Jesus Chase," he sounds angry, but Chase can hear the caring tone hidden beneath it. "You were dead, Chase, they tried to make me stop resuscitating you! Can you bel- I mean! Eventually I was just sorta punching you in the chest, but you did it," suddenly someone is grabbing his hand and kissing his knuckles "My brave boy, my beautiful brave boy," and he's never heard House sound like this. Ever. Vulnerable. "What the hell would I have done without you? You're the only reason I'm happy. The only reason I live, please, please, please," Chase's fingertips are brushed against the stubble of his beard "Wake up,"

Chase counts to 24 in his head, and then pretends to wake up, because he doesn't want to catch House out on this one. He wants to savour that moment, and keep it perfect forever. He blinks wearily, looking around "Where'm I?"

"Finally." House rolls his eyes, and when Chase sees him there's almost no sign that he's upset, except for the fact that his eyes look like tiniest bit red. Barely there. "Hurry up, we have real patients to treat."

Chase rolls his eyes "Why would you break my rib?" He curses "Normal CPR too good for you?"

"It got you up, didn't it?" House smirks, and Chase hums his agreement, wondering how House is so good at masking his emotions, Chase doesn't even realise he's closed his eyes, till House's hand runs across his forehead, brushing his soft blond hair out of his face "Hey," House whispers "No more sleeping. You've been sleeping for three days. Enough," and his voice is husky with worry.

"I'm up, I'm up," Chase grumbles, he feels groggy, but fine. 

"You were technically dead for 2 minutes,"

"Really?" Chase frowns, rolling his thumbs "Do I have any brain damage?"

"No," House smiles reassuringly "You defied the odds."

"You owe me dinner," Chase whines "Breaking my rib." House laughs, and it's an honest, and genuine laugh, and he kisses Chase's forehead. 

"Get up lazy, and then get dressed. And maybe I'll let you pick the topping from the pizza we order in."

Chase smiles at House's back. It's taken a while to speak the older doctor's language, but his translation techniques are pretty good now. 

House just told him that he loved him. 

So Chase decides to say it back. "I'm gonna pick pineapple toppings just because you hate it."

House can't hide is smile.


End file.
